


Something Borrowed

by starkly



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Sharing Clothes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 08:10:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5820859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dealing with his feelings for Finn would be much easier for Poe to handle if Finn wasn’t so sweet, or didn’t like Poe so much, or didn’t act like their clothes were interchangeable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Borrowed

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the film, so obvious spoilers apply. None of this is actually proper headcanon for post-movie events, I just needed to bring Rey back because I wanted to write her in.
> 
> This was supposed to be a short drabble for [lesbianlunalovegood](http://lesbianlunalovegood.tumblr.com/) but I just kept adding scenes and it turned into a mess. Sorry. Also you don't realize how little of a series' extended universe you actually know until you start trying to write fic for it, wow.

It’s a hectic several weeks following the destruction of Starkiller Base. There are celebrations, of course, then the much needed regrouping of their forces, and all throughout the quiet mourning for those who were lost. All this with Finn still in the infirmary, and Poe makes almost as many trips there to check on him as he does anywhere else. When Finn is finally well enough to be released, they bunk him with Poe. Poe doesn’t mind; his previous roommate hadn’t made it through the Battle of Starkiller Base, and he finds the unnatural silence more than a little lonely. Finn’s still healing, but he’s still his usual excitable self, which Poe appreciates.

The guy doesn’t have a thing to his name except the clothes on his back, so Poe helps him get outfitted with the basics as he settles in, showing him around the base so he knows where everything is if he needs it.

Except that doesn’t explain why, a few days later, Finn is wearing something a little too familiar. Poe squints at him over his breakfast, Finn seemingly oblivious.

“Is that my shirt?”

Finn stops chewing and glances down at himself. “Maybe?”

It’s definitely Poe’s shirt — he recognizes the stain on the sleeve that’s probably oil.

“Do you want it back?” Finn asks, looking like he’ll pull it off right there and hand it over if Poe says yes.

As much as he’d like to see that, Poe shakes his head. “No, don’t worry about it. It looks better on you anyway.” Poe’s starting to bet pretty much anything of his would look better on Finn.

“Okay, thanks.” Finn beams and focuses back on his meal, somewhat bland mess hall food that Poe doesn’t understand how he enjoys this much, and that’s that.

Poe watches him subtly (what he hopes is subtly) as he picks at his own breakfast. He has to admit, seeing his shirt on Finn is… something he wouldn’t be opposed to seeing more of. There’s something about Finn, that wide-eyed enthusiasm at getting to try new things, that willingness to help a total stranger, that makes him practically magnetic. That he’s cute doesn’t hurt either.

But Poe shrugs off the incident as a onetime thing; Finn’s still getting used to the base, still healing from the fight with Kylo Ren. Not to mention he’d been pretty sad when he found out Rey had left before he could say goodbye. He’s probably disoriented, trying to figure out where he fits in. Whatever this was, it most likely wouldn’t happen again.

\---

Except that it does, and he almost misses it. Finn’s tired of doing his physical therapy indoors, so the doctor agrees to move their session outside for him. Poe’s doing some routine maintenance on his fighter, BB-8 rolling around him as more of a hindrance than a help. He spots Finn across the way and waves. Finn notices him a moment later and grins, waving back, and Poe stares at his hands for a reason other than the usual — Finn’s wearing gloves with a very distinctive burn mark in the crook between his left hand thumb and index finger, a souvenir from doing hasty repairs on his ship after a particularly damaging battle. Poe had been looking for those gloves just this morning, but hadn’t been able to find them. Now he knows why.

He doesn’t bother bringing it up with Finn. They’re just gloves, he probably grabbed them by accident while rushing out the door or something. He’ll have to get Finn his own pair later.

\---

Tired and sweaty, Poe peels off his flight uniform and drops it on the storage unit at the end of his bed. He’d wandered back to his room without even taking off his gear first, but he doesn’t have enough energy left to care. They’d been doing drills all day, and all Poe wants is a hot shower and a long night’s sleep.

He almost falls asleep standing in the shower, and he hastily finishes up and grabs a towel on his way out. Stepping out of the small bathroom attached to their room, he nearly startles when he sees Finn there holding Poe’s helmet in his hands and looking over it with interest. Finn doesn’t seem to notice Poe’s done in the bathroom as he puts the helmet on and grins.

Poe bites his lip to muffle the pleased noise he involuntarily makes at the sight. It might be time for him to admit that he _really_ likes seeing Finn wearing his stuff.

Then Finn turns and sees him, and Poe almost bangs his elbow on the bathroom doorframe as he grabs his towel around his waist and tightens it. “Hey,” Finn greets him, removing the helmet and smiling wide. “How was practice?”

“Good,” Poe answers a moment after he finds his voice. He’s not used to being this tongue-tied around anyone. But Finn’s smile alone is enough to make him melt a little. Finn’s rubbing his thumb absently over the emblem on the side of the helmet, and Poe’s acutely aware of the fact that he’s not wearing anything but a towel.

“Are you hungry?” Finn sets the helmet down on Poe’s bed, and Poe watches the way his fingers linger on it almost reverently. “I thought we could get something to eat.”

Poe runs a hand back through his hair, damp curls catching slightly. “You didn’t eat yet? It’s pretty late.”

“I wanted to wait for you,” Finn says, far too earnest. Poe can’t help smiling back at him and nods.

“Well then, for your patience I’ll make you something special. Just let me get dressed.” He shuffles over to his side of the room and starts gathering clothes, quickly slipping into clean underwear and pants. Finding a clean shirt holds him up, but Finn hands him one a moment later and Poe puts it on with a thankful nod. He’s casually tousling his hair in the mirror when he realizes the shirt he’s wearing isn’t his. It’s one of the ones he’d gotten for Finn when he first moved out of the infirmary. Finn doesn’t seem to care, if he’s even noticed, so Poe doesn’t comment, just finishes gathering his things.

They end up in the small kitchen in the same building as their quarters, forgoing the larger mess hall in the central area of the base. This late there aren’t many people around, and Poe easily takes over the kitchen, checking cabinets for supplies while Finn leans gingerly against the counter and watches. Poe knows he’s still having trouble sitting and bending, but supposedly the physical therapy is helping, so Poe tries not to worry.

“My mother used to make me this when I wasn’t feeling well,” Poe tells him as he picks out the last of the ingredients.

Finn eyes the large array of spices spread out over the counter. “This isn’t going to be as spicy as the last time you cooked, is it?”

Poe laughs, shaking his head and putting a pot of water on the stove. There are all sorts of ways to create near-instant meals, but nothing beat old-fashioned cooking when you really wanted a hearty meal. “I won’t make it that spicy, I promise.”

He explains as he cooks, and Finn looks enthralled by it, as if Poe’s doing something much more exciting than making homemade stew. (The kitchen doesn’t have any of the kinds of meat he’d normally use, so Poe substitutes in a native bird that tastes close enough. Finn won’t know the difference.) When he’s done, he beckons Finn over to taste it, and Finn takes a tentative sip before breaking out into a big smile.

“This is great, Poe,” he says, face bright, and Poe feels his stomach flip-flop in a way that has nothing to do with hunger. The two of them standing close like this, Finn taste-testing his food, Poe wearing Finn’s shirt… He wonders if he didn’t _actually_ fall asleep in the shower and this is all one elaborate dream.

“It’d be better if you let me spice it properly,” he teases, trying to mask the way all he wants to do is kiss Finn and never stop.

“Next time,” Finn promises, painfully sincere even though he’ll probably regret it. “Come on, let’s eat! You must be starving.”

They eat together at a tiny table in the corner, Finn making Poe tell him more about his parents and where he grew up, and Poe is more than happy to share. When they’re done he packs up the leftover stew and leaves it with a note that anyone can have it, then returns with Finn to their room. He’s dead tired once he hits the mattress, and he falls asleep telling Finn all the kinds of food they made back on Yavin 4 while Finn lay in his own bed and listens silently until, presumably, Poe starts to snore.

\---

Poe decides not to say anything about any of it. Finn’s just recovered from a serious injury, is trying to settle in and get used to being something other than a stormtrooper. He doesn’t need Poe’s feelings dumped on him too.

It would just be _much_ easier if Finn wasn’t so sweet, or didn’t like Poe so much, or didn’t act like their clothes were interchangeable. But Poe’s nothing if not determined, and he gets by just fine without making a fool of himself.

And then Rey comes back and everything’s a mess again.

Her return is met with a clamor of excitement, Finn and Poe at the forefront. She and Chewbacca are followed by a person in a long brown robe with the hood up, and Poe knows her mission was successful. The three of them are immediately whisked away to see General Organa, leaving Poe to try and distract Finn until he can see Rey again.

She shows up at their room a couple hours later and makes a beeline straight for Finn. Poe pretends to keep reading his book so they can have their time to catch up, which mostly involves a lot of fast talking and grabbing each other’s hands.

Once Finn reassures her that he’s recovering just fine, he blurts out, “Was that him? Did you find him?”

Poe finally glances up, eager for the news too.

“I did,” Rey confirms, and that’s really all she needs to say.

“You found him.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s he like?”

“He has a beard,” Rey says almost solemnly, and Poe bursts out laughing, unable to help it. She turns to look at him like she’s just noticed he’s here. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” he says, shaking his head. “Just glad you’re back. You hungry?”

“Yeah,” she says with the seriousness of someone who’s been hungry most of their life. Poe’s heart aches for this girl as he sets aside his reading and climbs off the bed.

“I’ll make you something, come on. A meal fit for a returning hero.”

The seriousness in her tone shifts to her gaze, a gratitude far more sincere than expected for a simple meal, and he thinks maybe she never expected the word ‘hero’ to be applied to her. Finn’s chattering away about Poe’s cooking as he gets up to go with them, and Poe reaches for Rey, stopping before he touches her shoulder, letting her move the last couple inches if she wants. There’s only a few moments of hesitation before she shifts closer and he clasps her shoulder and squeezes.

He makes the two of them another one of his parents’ recipes from back home and Rey cries a little, but he’s pretty sure that’s just from the spice.

\---

Having Rey around seems to brighten up Finn considerably. She sits in on some of his therapy sessions, channeling her worry by offering to help with his exercises. Finns wants to know all about her mission, how’d she find Luke Skywalker, how was flying around in the Millennium Falcon, what did she mean she’s training with him, that’s really impressive —

By virtue of her friendship with Finn, she spends a lot of time with Poe too, though that’s hardly something to complain about. She’s a little rough around the edges, but she’s a sweet kid, and she and Finn are obviously good for each other. He can’t even bring himself to be jealous; if Finn likes Rey, then good for him. They could use a little more happiness in their lives.

And anyway, he enjoys talking mechanics with her. The first couple of days after her return she’d eyed the docked X-wings so often he finally lets her have a go in his. Next thing he knows she’s sneaking off to race Jessika in it once, twice, more times than he can even keep track of, and he finally gives up and gets a fighter of her own assigned to her.

He catches Finn watching her and Jess zip around over the base a couple times, and the second time he sidles up to him and grins.

“Want to join them? I’m apparently already loaning out ships, what’s one more?”

Finn laughs and shakes his head. “I can’t fly like them,” he says with a nod up at the two women, mere specks in the air now as they get farther away. “They’d crush me.”

“Sure,” Poe agrees, not bothering to sugarcoat it. “But you could learn. I’ll even teach you some tricks.”

Finn’s silent for a moment and Poe wonders if he overstepped some sort of boundary he hadn’t seen, but then Finn smiles at him and he relaxes. “If the doctor clears me, then yeah. I’d like that.”

They hang around until Rey and Jessika come back, then Finn gets distracted by Rey showing him the X-wing’s cockpit. Jess tucks her helmet under her arm and goes to stand by Poe, watching the pair.

“Rey’s good,” she says. “Shame she’s probably too busy training to be a Jedi. She’d be great for the squad.”

“Don’t go thinking of retiring already,” Poe jokes, knocking her arm with his.

“I could say the same to you. Heard Finn telling Rey you were going to teach him how to fly.” She gives him a knowing look and he shrugs, brushing her off.

“He’s bright and wants to learn.”

“And that’s it?”

Poe turns to look at her, arms crossed over his chest. “Just say it.”

“You’re sweet, Poe. And sentimental.” She rests a hand on his arm. “Don’t let it bite you in the ass.”

“Are you _worried_ about me, Pava?” he says, feigning shock.

She rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately.”

“Now who’s being sweet and sentimental?” He nudges her again and she nudges him back, harder, until they’re elbowing each other so aggressively that Finn and Rey come back to see what all the fuss is about. Poe smiles reassuringly, telling them everything’s fine, and ignores Jessika’s looks again.

\---

They’re eating lunch together a few days later, Poe running between flight simulations and a meeting with General Organa, when Rey notices.

She lowers her spoon and squints at Finn with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. Finn doesn’t even notice, but Poe’s about to ask what’s wrong when she points her spoon at Finn and says, “That’s not your shirt.”

Poe’s shoulders tense just slightly. It’s true, Finn’s wearing his shirt, but why would Rey notice? Or care? Unless she thought Poe was somehow encroaching on her territory — but no, she wouldn’t treat a person like that. Especially Finn.

Finn looks confused now too, though probably for a very different reason. “What?”

“That’s Poe’s, he was wearing it the other day. The stitching’s coming out in the same spot on the shoulder.” She jabs her spoon at the spot and Finn brings his hand up to rub a thumb over the frayed stitching. “Did you steal it?”

Wait, what? Poe looks at Finn, who rolls his eyes like he and Rey have had this conversation a million times. “I didn’t steal it, Rey,” Finn says, unconcerned now.

She switches her discerning gaze to Poe, who feels a little helpless under it. This girl could definitely give General Organa a run for her money. “It’s true. I said he could wear it.”

Well, it’s not _strictly_ true, because he never actually told Finn he could wear his clothes. But he never stopped him, which is as good as, in his opinion.

Rey relaxes instantly, as if that’s all she was worried about, then… Poe realizes that _is_ all she’s worried about, and he lets out a surprised laugh. Since when had he gotten so paranoid!

She shoots him a look like he’s not taking this seriously enough. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. I’m the funny one.” He scarfs down the rest of his meal in a few bites, then stands. “I’ve got to get going. Don’t have too much fun without me.”

He pauses to let Rey scrape his leftovers onto her plate, and Finn says, “We won’t.”

Poe grins and claps Finn on his good shoulder before heading out.

\---

His meeting with General Organa runs long, and from there he’s running around the rest of the afternoon. Not that he minds keeping busy, but he kind of wants to talk to Finn before the end of the day. The waiting makes him nervous, more nervous than the wait before a mission or staring down the First Order. He needs to ask Finn about the clothes thing, but he’s not sure he wants to hear the answer. The one he’s made up in his head, that Finn’s interested in him the way he’s interested in Finn, is just fine for him.

He manages to catch Finn in their room before dinner, looking adorably sleepy as he takes an afternoon nap. Poe sits on the edge of his own bed and watches. Finn doesn’t wake, so he must be pretty out of it; normally he’s a light sleeper, and Poe’s sure his snoring has woken Finn up more than once, but Finn’s never complained about it.

Poe debates waking him so they can talk, then decides against it. Finn could use the rest. But Poe feels like he’s going to burst if he doesn’t say something, and he shifts uncomfortably on the bed, biting at his lower lip. Maybe a practice run?

“Hey,” he says quietly, then waits, but Finn still doesn’t wake. “So. I wanted to talk to you, but now that I am, I don’t know what to say. Good thing you’re asleep, I guess.”

He stops again, licks his lips. Finn doesn’t stir. “I like it when you wear my clothes. I don’t know _why_ you keep doing it, but I like seeing it. Sometimes I think about how you kept my jacket even though you thought I was dead and I… Well, I think about it a lot. I think about you a lot.”

He sighs and leans forward, scrubbing his hands over his face. “And I wanted to tell you when you were awake, but apparently I need the practice.”

Silence meets his statement, and he rubs his face again, like he’s trying to wake himself up and not Finn. When he lifts his head, though, Finn’s rolling over, and Poe freezes. He half hopes Finn heard him and half hopes he’s still asleep, but Finn’s bright smile proves the former.

“Met too,” Finn says, and Poe doesn’t relax, should ask him to clarify, but he can’t. Finn sits up, still smiling, and that’s good right? He’s still smiling. “I think about you a lot.”

“Why do you keep taking my clothes?” Poe blurts, desperately needing to know all of a sudden.

Finn’s expression falls a notch. “I’m not taking. I’m borrowing.”

Which, okay, Poe’s stuff always makes it back to him. But that doesn’t answer the question. “I’m not mad! I just.” He shrugs. Does Finn even understand the appeal of seeing someone you like in your clothes when you’ve spent most of your life in a uniform everyone else wears?

“We shared a lot of stuff, back — ” Finn twists the edge of his blanket between his fingers. “Back in the Order. Didn’t want your squadmates to be caught without the proper uniform or gear or whatever, right? I should’ve asked first. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, there’s nothing to apologize for,” Poe says quickly. “I swear I don’t mind. Though if you took anything of Rey’s you might want to give it back ASAP.”

Finn laughs, which really is a nice sound, Poe thinks, and says, “I figured out not to touch her stuff pretty early on.”

There’s hope kindling in Poe’s chest, but he doesn’t know whether to stamp it down or spark it. “So you just take my stuff because it’s convenient.”

“Um.” Finn smiles again, but this time it’s more bashful. “I like wearing your clothes. It’s nice.”

‘Nice.’ Poe’ll take it. He gets up off his bed and goes over to sit by Finn’s feet. Finn shifts a little to make space, but he doesn’t move away. As if emboldened by Poe’s move, Finn continues, “And I like cooking with you, and learning how to pilot. You’re a good friend, Poe.”

Poe keeps smiling even though it feels somewhat like timing is blurring everywhere except in himself. Friends are good, Finn needs friends. He tries to tell Finn that as if it will help, but he doesn’t get very far, because Finn leans in, blankets all twisted up around his waist, and he kisses Poe softly, just once, on the lips.

Right, so maybe he and Finn have different definitions of ‘friends.’ “You’re a good friend too,” he tells him quickly, because either way it’s true. “Do you, uh, kiss all your friends?”

“What? No.” Finn wrinkles his nose and Poe can’t help leaning in again, wanting to smooth the confusion from his face, but he doesn’t kiss him yet.

“So you haven’t kissed, I dunno, Rey?” Poe asks, knowing he sounds terribly insecure, but he finally has a chance to get answers and he’s not going to stop.

“Rey? I like _you_ ,” Finn says slowly and pointedly, as if he thinks Poe needs the clarification.

Poe breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh thank goodness.”

Finn’s grinning at him, looking way too fond for Poe to handle any other way than leaning the rest of the way in and kissing him a second time. Finn’s lips are warm, and even though the kiss stays chaste there’s no hesitance from him. Poe rests a hand on the back of Finn’s neck and keeps it there even when the kiss ends.

“You can borrow all the clothes you want,” he says a little breathlessly.

Finn reaches out to take Poe’s other hand, holding it between both of his. “I’m already wearing your socks,” he tells him, and Poe laughs, loud and happy, before pressing a kiss to Finn’s cheek. He wants to kiss ever part of Finn he possibly can, but he’s waited this long. He can wait a little longer.

“Just wash them before you give them back,” he retorts.

Finn grins again, squeezing Poe’s hand. “Dinner? Rey’s probably waiting.”

If they were late for dinner Rey would more likely be at their door with BB-8, yelling at them to hurry up, but he nods and gets to his feet, still holding Finn’s hand to help him out of bed.

“And then afterward,” Finn adds, picking Poe’s flight jacket up off a chair and slipping it on. Poe, as usual, admires the way it fits so nicely over his broad shoulders. “We could go back to that kissing thing?”

Smirking, Poe slings an arm around Finn’s shoulders, careful not to put any weight on him. “Yeah, we definitely could.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has [a post](http://aleator.tumblr.com/post/138061894169) on tumblr if you feel so inclined to reblog or like it there. Thanks for reading!


End file.
